Member for Benambra, Bill Tilley, has called for greater parity in funding the state’s fire services from the fire service property levy.
Victorian Treasurer, Tim Pallas, released data in response to Mr Tilley’s Question on Notice in early September and said the revenue was going to Victorian firefighting.
However, Mr Tilley claims that a review of the State Budget shows the bulk of the money goes to paid firefighters in Melbourne.
“The will strip $10 million from the district with little or no return to CFA firefighters,” he said.
“In the next 12 months ratepayers in Wodonga ($5.5m), Towong ($1.8M) and Indigo ($2.7m) will fork out an extra 23 per cent on the tax that is supposed to fund fire services.
“Farmers are hit hardest by the latest tax hike – their levy close to double the previous year and five times what multinational renewable energy companies pay on nearby land.”
Mr Tilley said there needed to be greater parity in the funding.
“Farmers, who form a large part of our CFA brigades, should be outraged,” he said.
“Their rate has almost doubled and yet, renewable energy companies get a discount because of a what the government describes as ‘public benefit’.
“I would have thought being a volunteer firefighter might be of some public benefit too.
“But instead, they are fighting fires with old equipment and from sheds that are long past their use by date.”
“This year’s state budget increased CFA funding by about three per cent, while the heavily unionised Fire Rescue Victoria budget received a $200m, about a 20 per cent boost.”
Mr Tilley said compounding the issue was the ageing fleet of firefighting equipment.
“More than 75 per cent of the CFA fleet is more than 10 years old and about a third more than 20 years old,” he said.
“CFA brigades have had three years of nondelivery – pictures of Labor MPs standing in front of tankers from long past budgets is an insult.
“This money should be buying new tankers and upgrading fire sheds in the regions rather than paying the overtime bill for city firefighters.”
This article appeared in the Corryong Courier, 21 November 2024.
